Means for repairing pneumatic tires.



No. 646,332; Patented Mar. 27, I900. H. S. VAN DER STEMPEL.

MEANS FOR REPAIRING PNEUMATIC TIRES.

(Application filed Aug. 28, 1899.)

(No Model.)

I PNOTO-LITNI1. WASHINGTON. I). c.

HERMAN SALOMON VAN DER STEMPEL, OF AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS.

MEANS FOR REPAIRING PNEUMATIC TIRES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 646,332, dated March 27,1900. Application filed August 28,1899. Serial No. 728,776. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN SALOMON VAN DER STEMPEL, medical student, asubject of the Queen of the Netherlands, residing at 27 Vondelstraat,Amsterdam, in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, have invented certain newand useful Improved Means for Repairing Pneumatic Tires, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 shows my improved tire-repairing instrumentin its closed position, and Fig. 2 in its open position in front andside elevation, while Figs. 3 and 4 are partial longitudinal andtransverse sections, respectively, showing the method in which theinstrument is employed for repairing a leaky pneumatic wheel-tire. Fig.5 shows in front and side elevation a modification of my improvedinstrument adapted for closing slits of considerable width.

This invention relates to a small instrument for repairing punctures andslits in pneumatic tires, which instrument is preferably called by thename of rapid tire-repairer.

Every cyclist knows how inconvenient it is when from any cause thepneumatic tire becomes leaky and the air escapes therefrom duringajourney. An occurrence of this kind can be provided against by acyclist and means for repairing the tire can be carried; but not only isthe method in which a repair of this kind is effected with the meansheretofore usually employed extremely slow and lab0rious,butit is,moreover, uncertain in the highest degree and one has the prospect onreinflating the tire of discovering that the repair was not successful.Also only a few cyclists have the necessary skill to carry out a repairof this kind successfully and most of them in such cases have to seekhelp from others. In many cases this help is not to be had in theimmediate neighborhood,and therefore one is consequently obliged tocover the intervening distance on foot and to wheel ones cycle to theplace Where the services of a skilled workman can be obtained.

The object of the present invention is to produce an instrument whichcan be conveniently carried and easily manipulated by any cyclist and bythe aid of which one can make a leaky tire again serviceable in a shorttime.

The new rapid tire-repairer is a pair of nippers or tweezers formed bybending thin pliable sheet metal and the extended and grooved endsurfaces of which can be pressed together by means of a slide. The frontpart a of the pair of nippers is made somewhat broader than the stem orbody thereof and is provided on the inner side with shallow grooves.Over the stem or body b a fiat ring 0 can be pushed from the back rightup to the jaws a.

Fig. 2 shows the position of the instrument when ready for use, the jawsa, of pliable metal easily bent or folded, being separated toa shortdistance from each other.

The operation of the instrument is as fol-v lows: After the outerindia-rubber sheath or cover is removed the puncture or the otherwisetorn or damaged part has to be located on the air-tube. found, theair-tube is grasped at this place between the thumb and the first fingerof the left hand and the nippers are pushed over it by the right hand insuch a manner that the india-rubber is held folded or doubled betweenthe extended ends of the nippers and can be clamped securely together bypushing the flat ring 0 toward the ends of the nippers. Since the holethen lies between the jaws of the nippers, a perfect closure of the holeis effected by the instrument. The instrument is then folded or turneddown and the outer sheath or cover can be replaced, the folding orturning of the instrument being rendered possible and easy byconstructing the parts of pliable metal which can be readily folded andwill retain the form into which bent or folded.

In Figs. 3 and 4 the position of the instrument is shown when therepaired tire is again inflated. d is the outer india-rubber sheath orcover, 6 the pneumatic tire or air-tube, f the wheel tire or rim, and gthe spokes, of a velocipede.

The instrument is applied according to the position of the leaky part oraccording to the longitudinal direction of the slit, and 'then thenippers being of pliable and foldable metal can be easily bent and givena curvature corresponding to that of the tire, Fig. 8, or cor respondingto the circumference of the trans verse section of the tire, Fig. 4, orthe nip When the place has been pers are left quite straight,ifdesired,as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

It will be seen that the air-tube when the instrument is turned downallows itself to easily bend around the said instrument and on inflationof the tire adheres quite close to the instrument, so that the latter isinclosed between the two tires. It can remain there during the remainderof the journey without the least inconvenience, and the tire can berepaired properly on returning home.

The jaws to are made sufiiciently wide to enable not only punctures, butalso slits, to be closed by the instrument. If the slit is ofconsiderable width, a special form of instrument (shown in Fig. 5) isemployed. This instrument comprises jaws a, of suitable width having twoor more stems I), each provided with a clamping-ring c. This instrumentis applied in a similar manner to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or, ifdesired, two instruments of either form can be arranged close up againsteach other. The ring is pushed up so tight that displacement thereof ina rearward direction by itself or opening of the nippers and the releaseof the fold in the tire can never take place. A spring catch or detentc' is, however, also provided on one of the limbs of the said nippers ortweezers, this catch being adapted to engage with the slide-ring 0 whennear the jaws a and prevent it from slipping back during the motion ofthe wheel and allowing the said jaws to separate and release the part ofthe air-tube lying between them.

If desired, the jaws a can be covered with india-rubber or otheryielding material to prevent risk of damage being done to the airtube bythe said jaws.

The advantages of this rapid tire-repairer compared with the methodsheretofore usually employed are:

First. The great number of articles-such as benzin, woolen rag,india-rubber solution, patches, emery or glass paper, &c.-which havebeen required heretofore by a Cyclist for repairing a tire can now bedispensed with and instead of them a few of the above-described smallinstruments carried, which instruments can be conveniently kept in thewaistcoat-pocket. A

Second. A repair by the method heretofore generally employed takes atleast one hour. With the new instrument forming the subject of my saidinvention the puncture can be closed in a few minutes.

Third. The methods heretofore usual require great skill and only a fewcyclists are in the position to carry out a repair successfully in thisway. On the other hand, the rapid tire-repairer can be used easily byanybody.

Fourth. A repair made by the old method is very unreliable, and itfrequently happens on reinfiat-ing the tire that the labor of repairingit is found to have been wasted. The new instrument, on the other hand,never fails. The closure is perfect and the leaking of the tire at thisplace is out of the question.

\Vhat I claim is--'- 1. An instrument for repairing punctures and slitsin pneumatic'tires, consisting of a pair of nippers or tweezers made ofpliable and foldable sheet metal with extended inelastic, pliable jawsgrooved on the inner sides, and a fiat ring adapted to slide on the stemor body of the said nippers or tweezers, said pliable jaws susceptibleof being folded or turned down, substantially as, and for the purposes,hereinbefore described.

2. An instrument for repairing punctures and slits in pneumatic tires,consisting of a pair of nippers or tweezers of flat flexible sheet metalwith extended jaws grooved on the inner sides, a flat ring adapted toslide on the stem or body of the said nippers or tweezers, and a detentmounted on said nippers and adapted to engage with said ring when in itslocking position, substantially as, and for the purposes, hereinbeforedescribed.

3. An instrument for repairing punctures and slits in pneumatic tires,consisting of a pair of nippers or tweezers made of flat flexible sheetmetal with extended jaws, pads of yielding material on said jaws, a flatring sliding on the stem or body of said nippers or tweezers, andaspring'catch for engaging said ring, substantially as, and for thepurposes, specified.

4. An instrument for repairing slits and punctures in pneumatic tires,comprising a pair of pliable and foldable inelastic jaws connected bypliable and foldable inelastic tweezer stems or bodies, and flat ringssliding on the said pliable stems or bodies, substantially as, and forthe purposes, hereinbefore described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

HERMAN SALOMON VAN DER STEMPEL.

WVitnesses:

THOMAS HERMANN VERHAVE, Aucus'r Srncrnrnn Doonn.

